Telephone substation apparatus



NOV- 21, 1933- H. F. OBERGFELL. ET A1. 1,935,913

i TELEPHONE SUBSTATION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 21. 1933. H. F. OBERGFELL ET AL 1,935,913

TELEPHONE SUBSTAT ION APPARATUS Filed Deo. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gear' E [r-J. Eickel-11:51-

Patented Nov. 2l,- 17933 t UNITEDSTATES.

,PATE-NT. OFFICE "TELEPHONE sUBs'rA'rIoN'APPARA'rUs v- Herbert F. Obergfell, River Forest, and George W. Eickenberg,

Chicago,` Ill., assignors, by

mesne assignments, Vto Associated VElectric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a, corporation of Delaware Application December 14, .1931 sei-iai No. 580,896

' 5 claims. (o1. :17e-10o) This invention relates in general to telephoneY substation apparatus, and more particularlyito improvements in ringer boxes and other signalling equipment for such apparatus.

The principal object of the invention resides ina design of an improved ringer or signalling box having'a pleasing appearance, which is efcient in operation and in which all of the pieces of telephonie apparatus-comprising the box are mounted in a compact arrangement so that allv spool head for extending all of the internal connections of the ringerboxthereto.

Y A further object of 'the invention resides in .the design of a compact extension box vforuseat extension telephones where no ringer is provided.

In accordance-With the above and additional objects, the invention comprises a number of `.novel features which will be hereinafter specically pointed out in connection-With the twoY sheets of drawings which show a preferred em- 39 bodiment of the invention.A

Referring more specifically to the drawings, Fig. 1 discloses ythegeneral exterior appearance of the complete ringer box onia reduced scale. Fig. 2 discloses a top view'of the ringerfbox showing all of the apparatus in its normal position and in full size. Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the supportingbracket arrangement for the switching key and condensers.

.Fig. 4 discloses the general external appearance ofanimproved extension box on a reduced scale. Fig. 5 isa top view of theextension box showing the general arrangementof the appa- `ratus in full size. Fig. 6 is a perspective view fof a supportingbracket in the extension box, while l Figs. '1 and 8 are side and top views, respectively,

of a combinationibuzzer,supporting means, and terminalv blocks which are mounted on top of the apparatus shown inY Fig. 5 and also in Fig. 2.

Referring now,` more specically to the complete ringer box andapparatus shown in Figs. 1,

2, and 3 the basel of the ringer box Ywhich supe ports all `of Athe apparatusmounted' in thev box, and the cover 2 VYwhich -tssnugly around it, are

constructed of synthetic resin or bakelite, so asI to present a pleasinggappearance-as this material retains its nish indenitely. It is furthermore immune to corrosion and may be moulded to any desired shape or form. The cover 2 is held in position on the base .1 by means of a pair of screws 3 which arethreaded into the holes 3 60 Fig,l 2 provided in the base. The base plate 1 itself may be mounted on a wall orV other suitable support'by means of screws in the holes 4. A conventional type of ringer and gong 5 is supported on the base of the box by the screws 6 65 which support the gongs, coil, and other parts of the ringer as a complete unit. A pair of Vcondensers 6 and 7 are arranged on either side of the ringer 5 and are set in a-shallow cut-out portion of the base 1 which is ofthe generalcontour of the condensers so as to prevent relative shifting movement of the condensers.V An vinduction coil indicated generally at 8, thespool heads of which likewise servev as terminal blocks, is supported on the vtopside of the base 1 by means of screws 13' 75 on either end.V A standard type of buzzer 9 togetherwith vthe additional terminal plates 10and 11 are supported on top of the induction coil 8.

-The 'induction coil, terminal plates, and buzzer arrangement are identical with that disclosed in 89 the modification of. Fig. 5 and will be described in more detail in connection with the description of Fig. 5. A groove or slot 14 in the base land likewise inthe cover 2 permits entrance of the connectng leadsextending from the desk set or tele- ,85.

phone-to the terminal posts on the induction coil 8.. A pair ofterminal blocks 15 and 16 moulded out of the base 1 support soldering tagsV 17 to which line wires and other conductorsextending to the various pieces of the apparatus inside the 90 box are connected. These tags 1'7 are riveted to studs extending through the base and havescrews on'the rear side of the base (not shown) to which the permanent line conductors and other wires are connected; thereby avoiding the necessityv of providing additional openings in the base. The bottom side of the cover 2 has aseries of slots Y31 cut in it to permit the sound waves of the gongs from the ringer 5 to escape. These slots are covered inside with suitable screening. By

providing the least numberof possible openings .to the ringer box a structure is designed which prevents the possibility of insects, bugs and dust from entering 'the box andaffecting the opera- -tion of the apparatus. 5, ,105

Y Aisupportingzbracket'20 having a pairof outwardly and ydownwardly'projecting legs. 21- and H22- isarranged to straddle the ringer coils `5.

Screws 24 in theleg21 and 23 in the leg 22 serve to holdthe bracketv20 onto the base 1. Z-shaped .1.10

brackets 25 and 26are also supported on the base 1 by screws 23 and 24 and serve to rigidly clamp the condensers 6 and 7 to the base 1 on each side of the ringer 5. `Apairof circuit control springs 28 and 29 are supported and suitably insulated vfrom a downwardly projecting portion of the bracket 20. A switch 27 of the turn key type is mounted in another projection formed in the supporting bracket 20. The opA`` posite end of this turn key is arranged to control the sets of springs 28 and 29 and the turning movement of the key is limitedl by the stop pin 30. Suitable screw terminals are arranged on the ends of the contact springs 28 and 29 for the connection thereto of connecting leads.

If the use of turn key 27 is not required in an installation the bracket 20 may be removed b'y merely loosening the screws 23 and 24 and using them to simply hold the Z-shaped brackets 25 and 26 supporting condensers 6 and 7. When it is required to provide a switchingvkey 27 itis merely necessary to drill a hole into the cover 2 and mount the brackets as described. The key 27 and thev contact springs 28 and 29 which it controls may be' connected in circuit with the windings of the ringer 5, so that by the operation of thefturn key 27 the ringer 5 may be disconnected from the circuit. By providing this arrangement an executive and his secretary may each be provided with a ringer box, as shown, and the executive may, by operating the key 27, disconnect his ringer so that only the ringer of the-secretary will be operated on an incoming call. If the call is for the executive and the secretary answered it she may operate an extension switch button to control the buzzer 9 and signal the executive.

' It will be "seen that with the general appearance of the apparatus supported in the base 1 ofthe ringerbox that the whole presents a pleasing appearance to the eye; each separate piece of apparatus is readily accessible for replacement, repair, .or the changing of wires and connecting leads,

.electrically from the base l, because this base is constructed of inherently insulated material. No separate terminal blocks vas is usually necessary are required with this arrangement because the spool heads of the induction coil 8 serve this purpose. The particular 'arrangement of the pieces of apparatus therefore .presents numerous advantages over the previous type of ringer boxes containing similar pieces of apparatus. 1

The structure shown in the modification in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises an extension telephone box which is similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1, except that itis considerable smaller in that no ringer is provided. This extension box serves a telephone such as may be used by an executive which may be an extension of another line in which all calls are answered by the executives secretary, thefsecretary having a ringer and box such as shown in Fig. 1. The extension box comprises a base 40 having a cover 41.which fits snugly to the base, both base and cover being constructed of some phenolic condensation product, such as bakelite,

which may be easily .moulded to the required shape. A screw 42 threaded into'aV hole 42"sei'ves to -secure the cover to the base as will be 'pointed out in more detail. The base '40 may beattached to vany suitable support as by screws in the holes 43. A pair of grooves V44-in fthe base and conter-nporai'y ones in thecover '41 permits er'itriamcey of associating connecting wires to the apparatus within the box. A condenser unit 45 standing on end rests in a recess in the base 40 which prevents lateral movement thereof, and a strap 46vhaving bolts 47 on each end thereof engage the ears 49 and 49 of the supporting bracket 48, to clamp thecondenser 45 in position on the base 40. The bracket 48 is fastened to the base 40 by means of screws in its extension piece 50. The hole 42 is provided for securing cover 41 by means of the screw'42 and the notched end of the extension arm of the bracket provides a means for attaching the cord of the connecting wires so that the wires willrnot be subjected to undue strains at their ends. From this it is seen that the bracket 48 provides a means for securing the condenser 45 to the base, attaching the connecting cord to, and also'for securing the cover, all in a single unitary structure.

The induction coil indicated generally at 8 in Figs. 2 and 5 is supported in the base 40 by means of the'screws 13 extending through each spool head of the coil. The specific structure of the combination spool heads and terminal block for the induction vcoil is disclosed in a copending application of Herbert F. Obergfell, Serial No. 580,- 895, led Dec. 14, 1931, and forms no part of the present application except as will be pointed out in more detail. A number;of terminal screwsand associated soldering tags are moulded into each of the insulated spool heads as shown at 51 for the connection of` the windings of the induction vcoil which extend between the ends of the two spool heads, as .pointed out more specifically in the above-mentioned co-pending application and for the other apparatus in the box. Insulating plates 10 and l1, each containing a pair of screw terminals 53 and associated soldering tags 54, are supported on top of the spool heads 8 of the induction coil by means of a pair Aof screws 52. Thescrews 52 115 may be threaded into one of the terminal posts, such as 51, and in'addition to serving as a supporting means for the insulating-plates 10 and 11, may also provide an additional lterminal post.` The terminal screws 53'and their soldering tags 120 54 provide additional terminals for the connection of various conductors extending from the different Ypieces pi apparatus, such as the" windings of the induction coil, the condenser 45, etc. Y

Referring more particularly to Figs. 7 and 8125 the buzzer 9 which may be of any conventional type having a Icover thereon and a terminal post on each side of it, is screwed onto and supported by the bracket 00 which in turn is fastened by means of the screws 12 Aon either endrto the insulated 1-30 `plates 10 and l1. The shape of the bracket 60 is such that it permits the buzzer 9 to t closely between the insulated terminal plates 10 and 11 and at a slightly lower level than these plates and directly above the windings of the induction coil. Y'135 This arrangement permits 4a compact, easily accessible and removable arrangement, of the various parts and pieces of the apparatus without undue 'crowding of the parts 'and at the same Vtime perfectly insulating all of the terminal posts v:140

so that lthe wiring connections may be conveniently made. `Since the cover 41 and base 40 are constructed of insulating material no special 'means for insulating .the vpieces of apparatus from'these parts need Vbe provided, The buzzer 9 'is provided 'as a means whereby a secretary at Sa main `telephone 'substation provided with a regular ringer as in Fig.' 1 Ymay signal the' exthe regular extension box a single unitary arrangement is provided. In case the buzzer is not required it is merely necessary to loosen the screws 12 to remove it from the bracket 60. By providing the insulatingplates 10 and 11, separate xing means for the bracket 60 are not necessary, and at the same time, by providing these insulating plates and the terminal posts 51 on top of the spool head, the necessity of providing additional terminal plates for the apparatus, such as is usually provided in Vextension boxes of this type is obviated. This extension box as well as the ringer box, being of a compact unitary structure in which all the apparatus is supported, may bey mounted in close proximity to the telephone substation without detracting from the general pleasing appearance of the Whole device. The openings 44 in the side of the extension are small enough so that the wires extending to the interior apparatus of the box will ll them completely, thereby preventing the entrance of insects, particles oi dirt and dust which may interfere with the proper operation of the apparatus. One of these openings is provided for the connecting leads to the telephone substation, while the other one is provided for the line wires.

What is claimed is:

1. In a compact arrangement of telephone substation apparatus, a base plate, an induction coil having a combination spool head and terminal block on each end of thecoil secured to the base plate, andan assembly comprising a terminal plate and buzzer mounted on top of said Vspool heads, said buzzer assembly bridged across the spool heads and secured to the-terminals of the spool heads.

, plate;

2. In va telephone substation apparatus, a base plate and a cover, a condenser on said base plate, a bracketon said base plate rigidly securing the condenser to the plate, and means on the bracket for securing the cover to the base. o 3. In a substation telephone apparatus, the combination of a base plate and a cover, together with an induction coil having combination spool heads and terminal blocks secured to the base, a combination buzzer and terminal plate secured between the ends of the spool heads, a condenser on the base plate alongside the induction coil, and a bracket secured to the base plate between the condenser and induction coil for clamping the condenser in position inthe base and for securing the cover to the base.

4. In a telephone substation apparatus, a base plate, a cover for the base plate, a condenser and induction coil mounted side by side on said base plate, said induction coil having insulated spool heads combined with terminal blocks, a buzzer and terminal strip arranged between the spool heads on top of the induction coil, a bracket member secured to the base plate and having a pair of projections for supporting the condenser on the base plate, and another projection on said bracket member for securing the cover tightly against the base plate.

5. In a substation telephone apparatus, a base an induction coil, having spool heads equipped as terminal assemblies, secured to said base plate; and a signalling device, also equipped with terminal assemblies, bridging said spool heads.

HERBERT F. OBERGFELL. GEORGE W. EICKENBERG. 

